Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

I«« A CRITICAL DISSERTATION
that is to follow. *• Trenmor came from
** his hill, at the voice of his mighty fon.
** A cloud, like the fteed of the Ihanger,
** fupported his airy limbs. His robe is of
" the mill of Lano, that brings death to
*' the people. His fword is a green me-
*' teor, half extinguiftied. His face is
" without form, and dark. He fighed
" thrice over the hero : And thrice, the
** winds of the night roared around. Many
*' were his words to Ofcar. — He fiowly
** vaniftied, like a mift that melts on the
** funny hill." To appearances of this
kind, we can find no parallel among the
Greek or Roman poets. They bring to
mind that noble defcription in the book of
Job : " In thoughts from the vifions of the
*' night, when deep ileep falleth on men,
" fear came upon me, and trembling, which
** made all my bones to fliake. 'I'hen a fpi-
•' rit paffed before my face. The hair o^
" my tiedi Hood up. It flood (lill ; but I
" could not difcern the form thereof. An
" image was before mine eyes. Thtre
*' was filencc j and I heard a voice — Shall
** mortal man be more juft than God * •"'
As Oflian's fupernatural beings are de-
fcribed with a furprifing force of imagina-
tion, fo they are introduced with propriety.
We have only three gholls in Fingal: That
of Crugal, which comes to warn the hoft
* Job, iv. 13—17.